Bleeding Out on Her Table

During the emergency surgery for my carotid artery puncture.

My wife, Chloe Anderson, refused to operate on me.

Instead, she bolted for her ex-boyfriend's wedding.

He lost his memory. He thinks I'm his wife now.

I won't miss this chance, she declared coldly.

It's not severed, just a minor procedure. Someone else can handle it. Ryan needs me, she insisted, her voice tight.

She charged out of the operating room without a second thought.

I was bleeding out. One wrong move, one moment's delay, and I was a goner.

It took a team of doctors great effort to stabilize me.

By the time they succeeded, Chloe was already exchanging vows with Ryan Parker.

All she left me was a divorce agreement.

"Sign it quickly. Move all your stuff out of the house after you're discharged. Ryan's moving in," her message read.

After the divorce, I agreed to marry another woman.

...

The day we finalized the divorce at the County Clerk's Office was the happiest day Chloe had looked in the entire three years of our marriage.

She kissed her ex-boyfriend, Ryan Parker, deeply, her arm linked with his.

My mother, who had come with me, was furious. She grabbed my arm and turned to leave.

Chloe just laughed. " So sorry about... well, everything.

But honestly, I just couldn't miss a single chance to be with Ryan. Thats why I gave up operating on you myself."

Right then, my phone buzzed. A text from my father.

Come marry Olivia.

This was something they had suggested countless times over the past three years.

But back then, I was head over heels for Chloe.

I turned down Olivia Lawson, whose family was practically our social equals, and chose Chloe instead.

I practically abandoned my already successful career and followed her to this city to start over from scratch.

And what did I get for it? This.

While I was held hostage by some psycho, getting my damn neck artery punctured needing immediate surgery, she was passionately kissing her ex-boyfriend.

Upon learning that her amnesiac ex believed she was his current wife, she decisively abandoned me, already lying on the operating table.

At that moment, I truly didn't know what those years I had sacrificed for her were worth.

I genuinely felt a despair akin to dying.

Hearing my parents outside, pleading with her, begging her to just finish the surgery first... that despair swallowed me whole.

If it wasn't for her, why would I have come to this small city, waiting desperately in a small hospital with few doctors?

A carotid puncture, to Chloe, it was just a minor inconvenience.

Getting hitched to Ryan was the real emergency.

Pathetic. Just... pathetic.

After I agreed to marry Olivia, I saw my mom physically sag with relief.

Back in my hospital room, after the final check-up, I was just about to leave.

Then I saw her. Chloe dressed in a suit, walking in hand-in-hand with Ryan Parker .

Her smile was radiant, seemingly unaffected by the sorrow of being suspended due to the surgical incident, still immersed in the joy of having regained what was lost.

My mom looked ready to curse at them.

I walked right up to them and held out my hand. "Congratulations."

Ryan hesitated for a moment but still shook my hand. Chloe slapped it away instantly.

"Cut the crap! Who are you trying to fool? Get lost! Don't let Ryan see you.

If he gets upset, you'll regret it." She jabbed her finger towards my face, her voice pure venom.

At that moment, I slapped her. She staggered back several steps, clutching her face, looking at me in disbelief.

Just then, a sleek town car pulled up outside.

My dad was in the passenger seat, calling for us.

As I walked towards the car, Chloe sneered, "You'd better crawl back to your own family. Don't cling to me anymore. You keep saying you came here because of me. I'd like to see what you can achieve when you go back to your so-called big city."

After her taunt, seeing me get into the car without looking back, she seemed somewhat incredulous and took a few steps forward.

My mom, sitting beside me, her voice icy, said, "We indulged you back then because you were young. But after all this time, she's still... this. You don't need us to tell you it's time to let go."

My dad added, "We've settled things with the Lawson family for the marriage. Put her out of your mind. Spend more time with Olivia when you get back. "

I nodded. Olivia Lawson. We were childhood friends.

But we couldn't stand each other when we were young.

That's why I shot down the arranged marriage idea flat out back then.

Funny how life circles back. Here she was.

WJust as we reached the doorstep, I saw Olivia was already there on the porch, surrounded by bags and boxes.

"Olivia?" I was hesitant. When I left for Riverside, Olivia had gone abroad.

Our last goodbye was after college graduation. Back then, she seemed kinda fragile.

But now, she looked fitter than Chloe, who practically lived at the gym.

She turned at the sound of my voice. For a second, there was something hopeful in her expression.

She smiled, took my bags effortlessly, and chatted easily with my parents as we walked inside.

"Olivia, honey, you two catch up. We're heading straight to bed," Mom said, already heading for the stairs.

They disappeared quickly. The living room was just Olivia and me.

Olivia kept glancing at her watch. Thinking she had somewhere to be, I said gently, "If you're busy, you can head out. It's okay."

She just shook her head.

A few minutes later, there was a knock. Olivia went to the door, spoke briefly to someone, and came back holding a massive bouquet of deep red roses.

"For me?" I looked at her, puzzled. In three years of marriage, I had barely received any gifts.

Suddenly having this gorgeous bouquet thrust into my hands felt surreal.

Olivia smiled. "It's past midnight. Happy Birthday, Ethan."

I froze. The whole mess with Chloe had completely wiped my birthday from my mind. Even my parents hadn't mentioned it. But Olivia...

I blinked back sudden tears. "You remembered..."

She nodded. "I wanted to pick you up myself, but I was swamped with work. Sent the family driver instead."

She was looking intently at the bandage on my neck.

I quickly explained, "Just some psycho. It's healed fine."

"Mm. When you have time, I'll take you to have it looked at. Best not to leave a scar. You hate scars the most."

I choked up a little.

But I couldn't tell her that over the past three years, I had long since worn away that habit of mine.

Being solely responsible for household chores, I had countless big and small scars all over my body.

Every time,Chloe would just snap, "That's because you're useless. Other people manage fine."

I always wondered who this mythical "other person" was.

Right up until the hostage situation, I found out Chloe had followed Ryan Parker to Riverside.

And the perfect househusband she kept comparing me to? That was Ryan.

Back in Chicago, I went back to work at the company headquarters.

Not long after I submitted my application, the Vice President called me.

He immediately approved my application, directly assigning me as his assistant..

Olivia drove me to work on my first day.

I handed her my phone for navigation.

That's when Chloe texted. For the first time since... well, everything.

Where did you put my grey brooch?

Also, Ryan really liked that low-fat chicken breast you used to buy. Get some more.

I mentally kicked myself. I hadn't blocked her yet.

As I reached for the phone to do just that, Olivia calmly took it from my hand. A few taps later, she handed it back.

"Done. Peace and quiet," she said, her voice light.

I smiled.

After orientation, I settled into my new role and posted my first non-Chloe-related update in years: a shot of my sleek new workstation and a quick selfie.

My parents were the first to like and comment. Olivia was right behind them.

I didn't bother checking the rest. I had work to do.

The wedding date was set for next week. Ceremony first, then the legal stuff at County Clerk's Office.

My parents insisted. Guess my last marriage left them with some serious trust issues.

In the days leading up to the wedding, I was a bundle of nerves, unable to focus.

Olivia handled everything. The venue, the flowers, the catering ,she took it all on.

During that time, Chloe called me. Once.

She demanded, like it was the most natural thing in the world, that I drop everything and come back.

"Ryan's health isn't great. He can't manage the housework. You need to come back and be our live-in housekeeper. We'll pay you," she stated flatly.

As far as I knew, she was still suspended.

The hospital investigator had contacted me just days before, asking for my input on her case.

I gave it. I demanded Chloe be fired and barred from practicing. Permanently.

And once the hospital handed over all the evidence, I filed a formal complaint with the police too.

That feeling of being left alone to die on that table? Nobody understands that.

I wasn't letting her off the hook.

"Face it, Ethan, you haven't worked in years. Who's gonna hire you now? Just come back. We might not be married anymore, but we can be friends. I'll pay you decently," she pressed.

While she spoke, I could hear Ryan in the background, calling "Babe?" "Honey?" Over and over.

Like it was staged. For my benefit.

Hearing my silence, she must have thought I was considering it.

"But don't get any ideas," she added sharply. "Even if you come back, I won't choose you."

I actually laughed. A harsh, bitter sound.

"I'm not coming back, Chloe. I have a job. A better one than before. And besides..." I didn't tell her about the wedding. I just hung up.

She blew up my phone. I blocked her number.

The night before the wedding, I was scrolling through my phone, picking photos for the wedding announcement post.

This time, it was the style I liked. I loved every single one.

I picked a few and posted them.

Not long after I posted, an account I hadn't added a note for sent me a message.

You think getting your childhood friend to play along will make me jealous?

That's hilarious. Did you get that idea from some cheesy novel?

I hadn't planned on sending Chloe an invite. But after that message? Oh, I sent it. Then blocked that number too.